Effector Mechanisms of Humoral Immunity Flashcards
What is the complement system?
Consists of serum and cell surface proteins that interact with one another and with other molecules of the immune system in a highly regulated manner to generate products that function to eliminate microbes.
How are normal host cells not attacked by the complement system?
Complement activation is inhibited by regulatory proteins that are present on normal host cells and absent from microbes.
What are the three pathways of complement activation?
- classical
- alternative
- lectin
What are the two proteolytic complexes that complement activation depends on?
- C3 convertase
- C5 convertase
How is the alternative pathway activated?
C3b binding to various activating surfaces.
How is the classical pathway activated?
C1 binding to Ag-Ab complexes.
How is the lectin pathway activated?
Binding of a plasma lectin to microbes.
What does the spontaneous hydrolysis of plasma C3 lead to?
formation of a fluid-phase C3 convertase and the generation of C3b.
What happens if C3b is deposited on the surface of a microbe?
It binds factor B and forms the alternative pathway C3 convertase.
What makes up C5 convertase?
C3bBbC3b = C5 convertase
In the alternative pathway, what does properdin do?
Properdin stabilizes C3 convertases (C3bBb) on microbial surfaces.
In the alternative pathway, what does factor D do?
Plasma serine protease cleaves factor B when it is bound to C3b.
In the alternative pathway, what does factor B do?
Bb is a serine protease and the active enzymes of the C3 and C5 convertases.
In the alternative pathway, what does C3 do?
C3b binds to the surface of microbes and functions as an opsonin - also is a component of C3 and C5 convertases.
What is the classical pathway initiated by?
Binding of the C1 to IgG or IgM molecules that are bound to Ag.
Which IgG subclasses are the most efficient activators of complement?
- IgG3
- IgG1
What is C1 composed of in the classical pathway?
- C1q
- C1r
- C1s
What does C1q do?
Binds to Ab.
What does C1r and C1s do?
proteases
- C1r and C1s form a tetramer composed of two C1r and two C1s molecules*
- The ends of C1r and C1s contain the catalytic domains of these proteins*
What is the structure of C1q?
consists of 6 identical subunits arranged as radial arms.
How many portions of the Fc must C1 bind to to initiate the classical complement cascade?
C1 must bind to 2 or more Fc portions to initiate the complement cascade.
Are the Fc portions of soluble pentameric IgM Abs accessible to C1?
No
after IgM binds to surface-bound Ags, it undergoes a shape change that permits C1 binding and activation
What happens to IgM after it binds to surface-bound Ags so that C1 is able to bind to it?
After IgM binds to surface-bound Ags, it undergoes a shape change that permits C1 binding and activation.
How do soluble IgG molecules bind and activate C1 since they only have one Fc region?
Remember: C1 must bind to 2 or more Fc portions to initiate the classical complement cascade
Solbule IgG molecules will also not activate C1 because each IgG has only one Fc region, but after binding to cell surface Ags, adjacent IgG Fc portions can bind and activate C1.
How does the classical pathway form C3 convertase?
1) activated C1s cleaves the next protein in the cascade, C4, to generate C4b.
> C4b contains an internal thioester bond that forms covalent bonding with microbe to which the Ab is bound.
> It ensures that classical pathway activation proceeds on a microbial surface.
2) activated C1s then cleaves C2 to generate s soluble C2b fragment of unknown importance and a larger C2a fragment that remains physically associated with C4b.
3) the resulting C4b2a complex is the classical pathway C3 convertase.
**cleavage of C3 results in the removal of the small C3a fragment, and C3b can form covalent bonds with cell surfaces. Once C3b is deposited, it can bind factor B and generate more C3 convertase by the alternative pathway.
How is C5 convertase formed in the classical pathway?
> some of the C3b molecules generated by the classical pathway C3 convertase bind to the C3 convertase.
> The formed C4b2a3b complex functions as the classical pathway C5 convertase.
> It cleaves C5 and initiates the late steps of complement activation.
What does C1 do in the classical pathway?`
initiates the classical pathway
What does C1q do in the classical pathway?
binds to the Fc portion of Ab that has bound to:
- Ag
- apoptotic cells
- cationic surfaces
What does C1r do in the classical pathway?
serine protease, cleaves C1s to make it an active protease
What does C1s do in the classical pathway?
serine protase, cleaves C4 and C2
What does C4 do in the classical pathway?
> C4b covalently binds to a microbe and complement is activated.
> C4b binds C2 for cleavage by C1s.
> C4a stimulates inflammation (anaphylatoxin)
What does C2 do in the classical pathway?
C2a is a serine protease and functions as the active enzyme of C3 and C5 convertases to cleave C3 and C5.
What protein functions as the active enzyme of C3 and C5 convertases to cleave C3 and C5 in the classical pathway?
C2a
How is the lectin pathway activated?
Activation is triggered by the binding of microbial polysaccharides to circulating lectins, such as plasma mannose-binding lectin (MBL).
What does MBL bind to in the lectin pathway?
Mannose residues on bacterial polysaccharides.
What are the MBL-associated serine proteases that MBL associates with?
- MASP1
- MASP2
- MASP3
What are the MASP proteins in the lectin pathway?
Are structurally homologous to the C1r and C1s proteases and cleavage of C4 and C2 to activate the complement pathway.
True or False:
The subsequent events in the lectin pathway are identical to those that occur in the classical pathway.
True
In the lectin pathway, what does MBL do?
agglutinin, opsonin, complement fixing
In the lectin pathway, what does MASP1 do?
forms complex with MASP2 and collections or ficolins and activates MASP3
In the lectin pathway, what does MASP2 do?
forms complex with lectins, expecially ficolin-3
In the lectin pathway, what does MASP3 do?
associates with collectins or ficolins and MASP1 and cleaves C4
How is the MAC complex formed?
> C5 convertases cleave C5 into a small C5a that is released and a C5b fragment that remains bound to the complement proteins deposited on the cell surface.
> C5b binds C6 and C7
> C7 component of the resulting C5b, 6, 7 complex is hydrophobic, and it inserts into the lipid bilayer of cell membranes, where it becomes a high-affinity receptor for the C8 and C5b, 6, 7, 8 complex is formed.
True of False:
The formation of a fully active MAC is accomplished by the binding of C9 that polymerizes at the site of the bound C5b-8 to form pores in plasma membranes.
True
What does the C5 protein do?
> C5b initiates assembly of the MAC
> C5a stimulates inflammation
What does the C6 protein do?
component of the MAC: binds to C5b and accepts C7
What does the C7 protein do?
component of the MAC: binds to C5b, 6 and inserts into lipid membranes